Palaeoclimatic conditions in the Mediterranean explain genetic diversity of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows

Past environmental conditions in the Mediterranean Sea have been proposed as main drivers of the current patterns of distribution of genetic structure of the seagrass Posidonia oceanica, the foundation species of one of the most important ecosystems in the Mediterranean Sea. Yet, the location of cold climate refugia (persistence regions) for this species during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) is not clear, precluding the understanding of its biogeographical history. We used Ecological Niche Modelling together with existing phylogeographic data to locate Pleistocene refugia in the Mediterranean Sea and to develop a hypothetical past biogeographical distribution able to explain the genetic diversity presently found in P. oceanica meadows. To do that, we used an ensemble approach of six predictive algorithms and two Ocean General Circulation Models. The minimum SST in winter and the maximum SST in summer allowed us to hindcast the species range during the LGM. We found separate glacial refugia in each Mediterranean basin and in the Central region. Altogether, the results suggest that the Central region of the Mediterranean Sea was the most relevant cold climate refugium, supporting the hypothesis that long-term persistence there allowed the region to develop and retain its presently high proportion of the global genetic diversity of P. oceanica.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal) [SFRH/BPD/85040/2012]; FCT [UID/Multi/04326/2013, FCT-BIODIVERSA/004/2015]; Pew foundation (USA)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Speech therapy in food transition from probe to breast in newborn in kangaroo method

Objetivo: Verificar a relação entre idade gestacional e tempo de intervenção fonoaudiológica para início da alimentação via oral, quando utilizada a técnica de transição alimentar da sonda direta para o peito. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo do prontuário médico/fonoaudiológico de 38 recém-nascidos de risco em Unidade Canguru. Foram coletados os seguintes dados: idade gestacional ao nascimento e corrigida, dias de vida, peso ao nascimento e atual, tipo e duração da intervenção fonoaudiológica, volume de dieta por sonda. Utilizou-se o tempo de uso de antibióticos e o suporte ventilatório como critérios de divisão dos recém-nascidos em dois grupos (G1 e G2). Na análise estatística, aplicou-se o teste não paramétrico de Mann-Whitney e o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Resultados: O tempo de intervenção para os recém-nascidos que receberem alta fonoaudiológica não apresentou resultados significativos entre os grupos (G1= 9,35 dias e G2= 10,12 dias), embora a hipótese inicial deste estudo fosse a de que os recém-nascidos do G1 necessitariam de menor período de atendimento fonoaudiológico que os do G2. Houve diferença estatisticamente significativa para o peso ao nascimento, entre G1 (1563,53 g) e G2 (1409,62 g). Conclusão: Quando utilizada a técnica de transição alimentar da sonda direta para o peito, em recém-nascidos de risco com média de idade gestacional semelhante e mesmo tempo de intervenção fonoaudiológica, os bebês demonstraram aptidão para coordenar os movimentos de sucção/respiração/deglutição, e consequentemente, a amamentação efetiva em seio materno exclusivo. _________________________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: Purpose: Verify the relationship between gestational age and duration of speech therapy to start oral feeding, when used the technique of feeding transition of the probe directly to the chest. Methods: This is a study of newborn medical/speech records of 38 risk in Kangaroo unit. Were collected: gestational age at birth and corrected days of life, birth weight and current, type and duration of speech therapy, enteral feeding volume. We used time use of antibiotics and ventilatory support as criteria for division of newborns into two groups (G1 and G2). At the statistical analysis was applied the nonparametric test of Mann-Whitney and the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. Results: Intervention time for newborns were discharged speech showed no significant results between groups (G1 = 9.35 days and G2 = 10.12 days), although the initial hypothesis of this study was that the newborn G1 would require fewer days of speech therapy than the G2. There was statistically significant difference in birth weight between G1 (1563.53 g) and G2 (1409.62 g). Conclusion: It was observed that both groups started speech therapy and oral feeding practically medium of similar gestational ages and both speech intervention, demonstrating ability to coordinate sucking movements/breathing/swallowing, and consequently the effective and exclusive breastfeeding

Glacial vicariance drives phylogeographic diversification in the amphi-boreal kelp Saccharina latissima

Glacial vicariance is regarded as one of the most prevalent drivers of phylogeographic structure and speciation among high-latitude organisms, but direct links between ice advances and range fragmentation have been more difficult to establish in marine than in terrestrial systems. Here we investigate the evolution of largely disjunct (and potentially reproductively isolated) phylogeographic lineages within the amphi-boreal kelp Saccharina latissima s.l. Using molecular data (COI, microsatellites) we confirm that S. latissima comprises also the NE Pacific S. cichorioides complex and is composed of divergent lineages with limited range overlap and genetic admixture. Only a few genetic hybrids were detected throughout a Canadian Arctic/NW Greenland contact zone. The degree of genetic differentiation and sympatric isolation of phylogroups suggest that S. latissima s.l. represents a complex of incipient species. Phylogroup distributions compared with paleo-environmental reconstructions of the cryosphere further suggest that diversification within S. latissima results from chronic glacial isolation in disjunct persistence areas intercalated with ephemeral interglacial poleward expansions and admixture at high-latitude (Arctic) contact zones. This study thus supports a role for glaciations not just in redistributing pre-existing marine lineages but also as a speciation pump across multi-glacial cycles for marine organisms otherwise exhibiting cosmopolite amphi-boreal distributions.Pew Foundation (USA); Portuguese FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia) through program GENEKELP [PTDC/MAR-EST/6053/2014]; Portuguese FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia) through program MARFOR [Biodiversa/0004/2015]; Portuguese FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia) [UID/Multi/04326/2013, SFRH/BPD/88935/2012, SFRH/BPD/111003/2015]; NSERC; FRQNT; Canada Foundation for Innovation; New Brunswick Innovation Foundation; European Union's Seventh Framework Programme [226248]; Danish Environmental Protection Agency within the Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic (DANCEA)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Hepatitis B virus: molecular genotypes and HBeAg serological status among HBV-infected patients in the southeast of Brazil

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Knowledge of HBV genotype is very important for clinical treatment. Studies have suggested possible pathogenic and therapeutic differences among HBV genotypes. The aim of this study was to determine HBV subtypes and genotypes in HBV-infected patients in our region (southeast Brazil) and to correlate results with clinical and histopathological data.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>One hundred and thirty-nine HBsAg-positive patients were included in the study. All patients were anti-HCV and anti-HIV negative (64% male; mean age 42 ± 14.5 years; range 7-80 years; 84% Caucasian) and were followed up at the University Hospital. A method for genotyping and subtyping HBV by partial HBsAg gene sequencing with primers common to all known genotypes was used. The viral load was measured by Amplicor Monitor assay (Roche).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>HBV genotype A was the most prevalent (55%), while genotypes C, D and F were found in 3%, 38% and 4% of HBV-infected patients, respectively. Among the patients infected by genotype A, 18.3% (14/76) were African descendents and, among the patients infected by genotype D, 11.3% (6/53) were also African descendents. In the four patients infected with genotype C, 2 were Asian descendents and 2 were Caucasians. All (7) genotype F infected patients were Caucasians. Seventy percent of our HBsAg-positive patients were HBeAg negative (62% genotypes A; 26.2% D; 7.1% C and 4.7%F). The viral load of HBV-DNA was about 5 times higher in HBeAg-positive than in HBeAg-negative patients. About 40% of these patients had alanine aminotransferase of up to 1.5 times the normal level. The mean stage of fibrosis in genotype A patients (2.8) was significantly higher than the mean stage of fibrosis in genotype D patients (2.0) (P = 0.0179).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The genotypes encountered in our HBV-infected patients were apparently a consequence of the types of immigration that occurred in our region, where European and African descendents predominate. The HBeAg-negative status predominated, possibly due to the length of time of infection. The viral load in HBeAg-positive patients was higher than in HBeAg-negative individuals. The fibrosis grade in genotype A-infected patients was more advanced than genotype D-infected patients.</p

A transcriptomic analysis of gene expression in the venom gland of the snake Bothrops alternatus (urutu)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The genus <it>Bothrops </it>is widespread throughout Central and South America and is the principal cause of snakebite in these regions. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies have examined the venom composition of several species in this genus, but many others remain to be studied. In this work, we used a transcriptomic approach to examine the venom gland genes of <it>Bothrops alternatus</it>, a clinically important species found in southeastern and southern Brazil, Uruguay, northern Argentina and eastern Paraguay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A cDNA library of 5,350 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) was produced and assembled into 838 contigs and 4512 singletons. BLAST searches of relevant databases showed 30% hits and 70% no-hits, with toxin-related transcripts accounting for 23% and 78% of the total transcripts and hits, respectively. Gene ontology analysis identified non-toxin genes related to general metabolism, transcription and translation, processing and sorting, (polypeptide) degradation, structural functions and cell regulation. The major groups of toxin transcripts identified were metalloproteinases (81%), bradykinin-potentiating peptides/C-type natriuretic peptides (8.8%), phospholipases A₂(5.6%), serine proteinases (1.9%) and C-type lectins (1.5%). Metalloproteinases were almost exclusively type PIII proteins, with few type PII and no type PI proteins. Phospholipases A₂were essentially acidic; no basic PLA₂were detected. Minor toxin transcripts were related to L-amino acid oxidase, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, dipeptidylpeptidase IV, hyaluronidase, three-finger toxins and ohanin. Two non-toxic proteins, thioredoxin and double-specificity phosphatase Dusp6, showed high sequence identity to similar proteins from other snakes. In addition to the above features, single-nucleotide polymorphisms, microsatellites, transposable elements and inverted repeats that could contribute to toxin diversity were observed.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p><it>Bothrops alternatus </it>venom gland contains the major toxin classes described for other <it>Bothrops </it>venoms based on trancriptomic and proteomic studies. The predominance of type PIII metalloproteinases agrees with the well-known hemorrhagic activity of this venom, whereas the lower content of serine proteases and C-type lectins could contribute to less marked coagulopathy following envenoming by this species. The lack of basic PLA₂agrees with the lower myotoxicity of this venom compared to other <it>Bothrops </it>species with these toxins. Together, these results contribute to our understanding of the physiopathology of envenoming by this species.</p